New 'risk-based' approach to supervision approved

The Bar Standards Board has approved a consultation on a new
approach to the supervision of chambers and barristers.

The new approach will seek to target resources at those most
likely to breach the Code of Conduct. The aim is to prevent
problems before they happen by informing those chambers who are
identified as higher risk and signposting available support.
Enforcement action will be reserved for the most serious or
persistent cases.

The BSB will evaluate where the areas of risk are and take into
account matters like disciplinary history but also good practice
measures. This process will map out who needs what level of
supervision and support to prevent non-compliance.

The consultation will be rolled out in March.

Chair of the Bar Standards Board Quality Assurance Committee,
Sam Stein QC,explained; "Prevention is better than cure. The new
regime will seek to develop positive relationships with chambers
which increases our focus on supervision as a way of working with
the bar to ensure that enforcement is needed only at the last
resort. "It is in the public interest and cost effective to focus
on preventing problems before they occur."

The proposed new approach will build on the successful Chambers'
Monitoring scheme which started in 2010 and was repeated in
2012.

The 2012 Chambers' Monitoring Report which was also presented at
the meeting, revealed that the vast majority of chambers were
already compliant with the Code of Conduct. However, it highlighted
a small but significant minority that might benefit from the
support offered by this new approach.

The BSB has developed its new proposals in the light of the new
BSB Handbook and the prospect of the BSB regulating entities, both
of which are expected to come into force in the course of 2014.